News Releases

Ithaca College Schedules Events for Black History Month

ITHACA, NY — Black History Month will be celebrated by Ithaca College in February with a full schedule of educational and entertaining presentations and performances. The events listed below are among those that are free and open to the public:

Wednesday, Feb. 6
“Dream Acts: A Play About Undocumented DREAM-Eligible Youth”
4 p.m., Clark Lounge, Egbert Hall
The Department of Theatre Arts and Center for Faculty Excellence present a staged reading of the fictional play about DREAM-eligible youth, in which five undocumented teens from Nigeria, Mexico, the Ukraine, Korea and Jordan face the extraordinary challenge of living ordinary lives under the radar. Each story is moving and urgent; some are funny, others are tragic, and through their experiences, we learn about the DREAM Act and the secret lives led by undocumented youth.

The performance by IC theatre arts students will be followed by a faculty panel discussion moderated by Wade Pickren, director of the Center for Faculty Excellence. Panelists will include Saviana Condeescu, coauthor of the play and assistant professor of theatre arts; Gustavo Licon, assistant professor in the Center for the Study of Culture Race and Ethnicity; Alicia Swords, associate professor of sociology; and Patricia Rodriguez, assistant professor of politics.

Thursday, Feb. 7
“Social Justice & Activism: The Power Within”
7 p.m., Emerson Suites, Phillips Hall
Presentation by hip-hop artist Talib Kweli, recognized as one of the most lyrically gifted, socially aware and politically insightful rappers to emerge in the last 20 years. Whether working with Mos Def as one-half of Black Star, partnering with producer Hi-Tek for Reflection Eternal, releasing landmark solo material or collaborating with Kanye West or Madlib, Kweli commands attention by delivering top-tier lyricism, crafting captivating stories and showing the ability to rhyme over virtually any type of beat.

Thursday, Feb. 21
“Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin”
8 p.m., Taughannock Falls Room, Phillips Hall
Screening of a documentary on the visionary strategist and activist who has been called “the unknown hero” of the Civil Rights movement. A disciple of Gandhi, a mentor to Martin Luther King Jr. and the architect of the 1963 March on Washington, Rustin dared to live as an openly gay man during a fiercely homophobic era.

Friday, Feb. 22
Black History Month Concert
8:15 p.m., Ford Hall, Whalen Center
Annual concert sponsored by the School of Music, with performances by the African Dance Ensemble, Worlds of Music Class, Dorothy Cotton Jubilee Singers and the Martin Luther King Elementary School Choir from Utica, NY.

Wednesday, Feb. 27
Rebel Diaz
7 p.m., Emerson Suites, Phillips Hall
Center for the Study of Culture, Race, and Ethnicity performance by the political hip-hop duo Rebel Diaz, consisting of the brothers Rodrigo (known as RodStarz) and Gonzalo (known as G1) Venegas. Rebel Diaz see themselves as reclaiming hip-hop as a tool in the larger struggle against oppression, using their music to spread knowledge about injustice.

Friday–Sunday, March 1–3
36th Annual Festival of Black Gospel
Various times and locations
Hosted by Cornell University and Ithaca College, the annual festival will feature a series of performances and workshops on both campuses. Visit www.ithacafbg.com for details.

For more information on these and other Black History Month events, visit Ithaca College Office of Student Engagement and Multicultural Affairs at /sacl/osema/multicultural/months/.